What's New

A country that allows a terrorist organization to act within it as its own state now casts Israel as the state terrorist in this statement to the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly. The Lebanese representative justifies Hezbollah's cross-border raid in which Israeli soldiers were killed and abducted when he differentiates between "terrorists and those practicing their legitimate right to resist the occupying power." This is the same representative that defended Hezbollah for standing up to Israel on September 8, 2006 when the UN adopted its so-called "counterterrorism strategy". He now accuses Israel of "genocides and war crimes" and characterizes Lebanon as "subject to Israel's state terrorism."

As a country that has already made it to the Security Council agenda as a threat to international peace and security, Myanmar is doing its best to protect state sponsors of terrorism. Myanmar's representative to the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly argues that the fight against terrorism should be in conformity with "the principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of states."

Here is what the UN is used for. The Lebanese delegate in the Third Committee of the General Assembly - its human rights committee - today accused Israel of disguising unexploded bombs as toys and chocolate bars in order to attract children. Nowhere does he mention Hezbollah or terrorism or their attempts to kill Israeli children.

The African Group, which consists of 53 member states, spoke on eliminating terrorism to the Sixth Committee of the General Assembly. They would not use the word "terrorism" to describe Hamas' targeting Israeli children with suicide bombs, or in UN-eze: "The legitimate struggles of people under colonial or foreign occupation for self-determination and naitonal liberation, does not constitute terrorism."

Malaysia claims it wants to bring terrorists to justice - but only so long as the sovereignty of the states who harbor them is left intact. As Malaysia's representative points out to the UN General Assembly's Sixth Committee, Malaysia welcomes the UN counterterrorism strategy which proposes "to ensure that terrorists and those who harbour and aid them are brought to justice...with due regard for...respect for the principles of non-interference, territorial integrity and sovereignty of States."

The 20 Latin American countries of the Rio Group, speaking on measures to eliminate international terrorism to the UN General Assembly's Sixth Committee, finds a way of blaming Israel for the existence of terrorism. When talking about the preventive aspect of counter-terrorism, they claim policies that promote the "elimination of foreign occupation and oppression" would help prevent terrorism.

The Cuban Ambassador adds his voice to the many at the UN who legitimize terrorism against civilians. Speaking in the UN General Assembly's Sixth Committee he states: "A Comprehensive Convention on international terrorism has to guarantee a clear distinction between terrorism and the peoples' legitimate struggle for their independence and in defense of their right to self-determination." No wonder the UN still has no definition of terrorism, let alone a comprehensive convention against terrorism more than five years after 9/11.

The Ambassador of Vietnam, speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), states that counterterrorism measures must be balanced with the "principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference in the internal affairs of States." More excuses for protecting terrorists and their state sponsors.

More support and advocacy for terrorism at the so-called harmless UN talking-shop. Bangladesh joins the chorus of those distinguishing between terrorism on one hand and the "legitimate struggle against foreign occupation" on the other.

The representative of Pakistan tells the UN Sixth Committee of the General Assembly that the cause of terrorism directed at Israelis is Israel itself: "State Terrorism is another cause of terrorism by individuals and groups." Another understandable cause of terrorism, according to Pakistan, is the the "unfair" portrayal of Islam which "adds fuel to the fire of extremist and terrorist strategies." Pakistan also supports the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)'s claim of a license to terrorize whatever they regard as "suppressing the struggle of a people for self-determination, or during the course of foreign occupation, or in instances of genocide."

Speaking to the UN's Sixth Committee of the General Assembly - the LEGAL committee - the representative of the United Arab Emirates justifies terrorist attacks against Israelis and Americans. He differentiates "between terrorism and the legitimate struggle of peoples under foreign occupation for national liberations and self-determination..."

The UN General Assembly's First Committee (a committee-of-the-whole) is once again used as a podium for countries such as Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Lebanon to divert attention to Israel instead of the nuclear proliferation efforts of one of their own. Iran accuses Israel of state-terrorism and of posing "a real threat to the whole world." Anyone who puts pressure on Iran to stop its nuclear program is "trying to serve the interest of the illegal Israeli regime."

In 1985 the General Assembly decided that no subsidiary organs can meet at UN headquarters during the GA's regular session unless explicitly authorized to do so. The Committee on Conferences recommends exemptions to this rule for a host of Israel-bashing committees such as the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, the Working Group on financing UNRWA and the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices. Also exempted is the UN Disarmament Commission to which Iran was elected a vice-president back in April.